


don't you dare run away with my heart

by faded_jenes



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Comedy, Domestic Fluff, Family Fluff, Halloween, M/M, Mild Smut, Romance, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2019-01-18 14:06:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12389601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faded_jenes/pseuds/faded_jenes
Summary: When the writer Baekhyun scared off the little trick or treaters in his apartment block, even if it annoyed Chanyeol, the single dad from 61B.





	don't you dare run away with my heart

**Author's Note:**

> To the prompter, I fell in love with it from the start. I knew I had to write this! Sorry if this wasn't what you expected because I kind of ran away with the prompt. My writing skills are kind of rusty so forgive me. P.S: This 7k word vomit is unbetaed so I will have to slowly work through it. On the bright side, Happy Early Halloween for all! The mood in this fic was largely inspired by A Little Braver by New Empire . Do check them out!
> 
> Warning: Vague mentions and spoiler of Kingsman 2. (it's really tiny)

It was all the hype. The neighbourhood folks went all out with their decorations. There were spiders crawling up the walls, bats dangling like tendrils, cobwebs stretching across the doors and of course, pumpkins. Tons of pumpkins. Those guys were huge and plump, laid on the streets downstairs with candles illuminating their sinister smiles that children carved out.

 

 

Chanyeol peered down from his eleventh floor, down to the residential parking lots where the skeletons sat between the trees. His Mercedes-Benz AMG G65, with her silver grey lining and badass exterior, gleamed under the street lamps, impeccable at her utmost finest if not for the ugly and bright yellow fine stamped on her windshield.

 

 

 _Fuck!_ The male bemoaned. This had been his third time in the week.

 

 

The chores of being a single father—he had been running around town all week, driving Sehun to school, fetching him from dance classes and simply traversing downtown to meet the higher associates. There had been instances, Chanyeol admitted, but only out of desperation, he had been parking his sedan illegally along the streets. No doubt there were consequences and his forgetful mind which followed suit.

 

 

Chanyeol pinched the bridge of his nose. It might have slipped his mind. Look like he had to make a trip down to the central to pay for those offences. _Was thirty an age to be this absent minded?_

 

 

Sighing, he dragged his feet towards the kitchen island. The giant was about to reach for his Iron Man mug when the doorbell rang. The male clicked his tongue. Someone was pressing his doorbell like a madman out there.

 

 

Annoyed, Chanyeol was about to greet the visitor with a roll of an eye until he was met with a bunch of kids crying at his doorstep. Their eyes were puffy and red, noses dripping with snot. And there, among those bawling little ones, was his one and only Park Sehun. His fatherly instincts kicked in as the Park Senior crouched down to cradle the little boy’s face. His palms caught the big fat tears rolling down Sehun’s tiny face.

 

 

“Hey buddy, you alright there?” Chanyeol’s voice was laced with concern. “What in the world happened to you?” Sehun’s small fingers found his large ones and Chanyeol immediately hauled his son into his arms. The other kids began to tug at the hem of his slacks and Chanyeol had no choice to usher the little group inside.

 

 

A few minutes later, with mugs of hot chocolate and malted cheese cookies, the children were huddled on the floor with blankets. “So mind telling Uncle what went wrong?” Seulgi, the girl with the pigtails, puckered her lips and whined, “There was this huge basket of candy bars and gummy worms in front of the apartment. The one down the corridor. And it’s the last house for trick or treat so we all went there.” Chanyeol felt Sehun peeking out of his suit jacket when Jimin took over the story. “We’re going to ditch the bell and grab the sweets when the door suddenly flung open.” The boy spoke with big gestures which amused Chanyeol. “It was really scary, Uncle Park. There was a vampire! A real one! He got those super red eyes and sharp fangs!”

 

 

 _A vampire?_ Chanyeol bemused. _Sounds pretty interesting._ “He growled at us and chased us away. He accused us of stealing his candies.” Jimin huffed indignantly. “But we didn’t!” Hiding inside his father’s chest, Sehun nodded vehemently. “There was this monster too. It kept barking at us from inside the house!” Seulgi added. _Monster? Wow, seems like a Halloween night gone wrong._

 

“Do you think he will come eat us?” Sehun looked up at his father. His eyes were still shaking in fear. “No, silly, vampires don’t eat you.” Chanyeol reassured with a chuckle. “They, uh, just suck your blood.” The words slipped out of his mouth without filter and before Chanyeol knew, the kids were scrambling up from their seats and wailing bloody murder again. Sehun retreated into his father’s jacket once more, tears soon wetting the fabric that had yet to be dried.

 

 

"Just don't go there for the rest of the week, okay?" Chanyeol coaxed his son out of it, simultaneously having the rest of his playmates to promise with their pinky fingers. The rest of the evening went well, with Chanyeol and Sehun indulging in a marathon of Doraemon series.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Of course, kids were kids and promises were made to be broken. Chanyeol stared down at his son and his friends with arms crossed. The little fellas were blubbering mess, just like yesterday. What worse was Chanyeol didn't know whether they were crying out of guilt or fear this time.

 

 

"Let me guess, you guys went there again?" Chanyeol shook his head. Seulgi had her hands behind her back, twirling the hem of her skirt. "But that apartment has the best sweets ever, Uncle!" She chewed on her lips nervously. "I mean, the basket is full of Twizzlers, of all flavours, candy corn and my favourite Sour Patch!" Jimin explained sheepishly, his chubby cheeks dusted in pink. "They all look good, right Sehunnie?"

 

 

Hiding behind, Sehun nodded guiltily. The little boy's eyes were swollen as he wiped the tears with his sleeves. "Sorry, Papa." Feeling bad, Chanyeol ushered them inside again, with the promise of lots of licorice. "You know, this got to stop. Why bother going there if it scares you?" He scolded the children as they made their way into the apartment. _Boy, it's going to be another long night._

 

 

"So the vampire growled again?" Chanyeol questioned. The kids were settled on the couch, munching on their treats. "No no no! He opened with a loud 'BOO!' and the monster came out too. The monster was ugly and it got blood all over its face!" Sehun spoke up so animatedly for the first time that it got Chanyeol surprised. His son was never a talker. Not ever since _that_.

 

 

"If only Wonder Woman comes and chases it away, that would be awesome!" Seulgi voiced out. "Or Iron Man!" Jimin hailed from the side. "Or Deadpool," Chanyeol piped, recalling the Halloween costume he got in his early twenties. "You know what? Some hero got to kick that vampire's ass tomorrow!" His comment garnered loud cheers from the kids. Chanyeol looked over to his son. Sehun was beaming, his mouth full of Twizzlers but hey, at least he stopped crying.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

"Jongdae, is there a 24/7 tailor around here?" Chanyeol closed the bedroom door behind him. Sehun was long knocked out, probably due to overdosage of candy corns. "I need to do some last minute altering. Nah, tomorrow afternoon would be fine to pick it up." He tucked the phone between his cheek and shoulder. "Okay, thanks mate."

 

 

His walk-in wardrobe was a mess. The box was stashed in the corner, up the shelves when he took it down. Thankfully, Chanyeol had a height blessed by gods. The male brushed the dust away. _How many years had it been?_

 

 

He remembered those fippants days of his, where he could play the resident playboy in college, getting drunk on all that jazz and booze and partying late till 4am; that Halloween where he spent outside on midnight streets with his gang of friends as they took on the theme of Marvel.

 

 

Now, he was a Dad of one, running errands and trying to meet the demands of both a banker and a father. Times had changed so had he. Sehun was all he got, after he lost her in the sky. Chanyeol knew he could never fill the place of a mother but he wanted the best for his little boy. Blood might run thicker than water. Sehun might not be his but the kid was no complete stranger. He was Yoora's blood and flesh after all. Right now, sitting on the floor of his bedroom, Chanyeol missed his sister the most. His sister who bought him his first and last Halloween costume.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The next morning came by pretty fast. Chanyeol somehow managed to send a grouchy Sehun to school. The office man dropped by his apartment later, picking up the rest of his documents for work. He was walking towards the lift, before he decided to stop by the apartment down the hall. Apartment 61F. There was the Easter-looking basket, right in front of the door mat, but it was empty. The front door looked pretty Halloween-like, bat wings and all.

 

 

Chanyeol stood there for a while, trying to refresh his memories of his neighbours' faces. There were Jongin and Kyungsoo down the other end of the hall, the couple who recently got hitched that summer. Minseok, his next door, was a soloist with his cat. His opposite neighbours were Joonmyun and his boyfriend Yixing. The last one, being the owner of this 61F, was—

 

 

"Hey, Park!" It was Jongin and his poodles. "What are you doing in front of Byun's door?" Turning around, Chanyeol gave the doctor a curt nod. "Morning, Kim. I, uh, was just passing by, I guess?" Jongin gave him a wry smile but did not pursue further. "Don't worry, people here kind of forget about Baekhyun, you know? That guy is always cooped up at home." Jongin shrugged, "Heard he moved in a couple of months back. Something like a novelist."

 

 

Byun Baekhyun, turned out, indeed was a full-time writer. He worked under a pseudonym, according to Kim Jongin. Chanyeol might or might not have run into the guy before but he was pretty sure the man was the one who blasted cringy pop songs a month ago. God, that time period had been unbearable. Worse, Sehun got infected; the boy practically jumped around the house doing that, what was it called again? The 'Shy Shy Shy'dance? His other neighbours were too kind towards the newcomer, except Chanyeol. After three consecutive days of 'Cheer Up, Baby', The single dad called it quits and reported to the management. Lucky for him, the Byun guy had shut up since then.

 

 

"Oh, he've got a corgi by the way." Jongin added as he ushered his 'kids' out of the elevator. "That fella has been checking out Hoochul here but Kyungsoo hated it so yeah, it didn't end well." Making his way to his ride, Chanyeol wondered. _Just how bad is this Byun Baekhyun?_

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

"Is that you, Papa?" Sehun stared wide eyed at the man in his costume. Chanyeol chuckled from behind his mask, his deep voice bringing a smile of recognition from his son. "Wow, you really look like Deadpool!" The boy was beyond amazed when his father picked him up into his arms. "That's right, pup. Trick or treat is never old for anyone." Laughing, Sehun kissed the rubbery surface stuck onto the grown-up's face. "Are you gonna avenge for us, Marvel guy?"

 

 

All Chanyeol gave his son was a wink before he set out towards 61F for the night.

 

 

The suit was so much of a tight fit that Chanyeol had some serious problems squatting down. He practically found himself crawling towards the end of the hallway. Lucky for him there was zero CCTV around (the courtesy of luxury condominiums and their privacy guidelines) to capture his embarrassing moments. If Chanyeol knew he inspired to be spy wannabe, he should've opted for The Kingsman. But now it wasn't the time to back out.

 

 

He swore his pants were barely an inch away from splitting when he crouched next to the door of 61F. "Okay, you've got this!" Chanyeol muttered beneath his breath, "An eye for an eye. Kick that Byun and his vampire ass." The giant had his plans all laid out: ring the bell and hide before the little fucker comes out. Then, sneak inside his house and give him a good jump scare of his life. Exhaling, Chanyeol reached for the door bell past the security lock. He pressed it, hands shaking and all sweaty, and waited.

 

 

There was a lapse in silence before the male's ears picked up the sound of footsteps approaching the door. There was an electronic _'ding'_ followed by the opening of the door. The hinge gave his head a near miss but Chanyeol willed himself to keep quiet. His breath hitched when the owner's stuck his head out, face hidden by the door between them. There was a long cape sweeping the floor and the pungent odour of Ben Nye permeating from inside. _Stage Blood, huh? This fella was really into Halloween._

 

 

"Hah! Where did those annoying little shits go?" The owner's voice was probably the most high pitched voice Chanyeol ever heard, for a guy that was. "Stealing my candies and all!" Chanyeol saw the person bend down to inspect his basket of treats. "Just wait, I'll make sure you all will have the most memorable Halloween of your lives. Right, Mongryong?" There was a short yet loud bark. Chanyeol put the pieces together. Ah, the so called monster was that fucker's dog!

 

 

The door swung close right after. Chanyeol kept the smug look on his face as he rang the doorbell again. This time, the door flung open in the speed of the light. The giant held his breath and hid once more. He watched the owner stomped on the doormat, feet peeking out. "Come out, you lil mofos!" The neighbour screeched. "One more time and I'll really suck you bl—

 

 

"Mongryong, what the fuck are you doing!" Chanyeol waited as the owner turned his heels and raced into his apartment, accidentally leaving the door open. The father saw his chance. Stealthily, he sneaked into the house. The doorway was dark, except for the dimly lit candles sitting on the shoe cabinet. "You bad dog! Get the fuck down here!" The vampire had quite a potty mouth. "Stop chewing the curtains. You'll knock the candles down!"

 

 

He could see the figure scuttling around. There were a few barks here and there, receding into a series of small yelps and finally almost soundless whimpers. "Don't give me those eyes, you pup." Chanyeol heard the other chide softly before he sensed the two approaching in his direction. _Right, the door!_ "Fuck." The giant cussed under his breath as he squeezed into the cramped space next to the coat rack. Right there and then, his gangly arms knocked down a mini figurine lined up against the wall. It produced a tiny ruckus and unfortunately, an unwanted attention right up his face.

 

 

"Hey, there." Chanyeol's masked self was illuminated by the candle he abruptly picked up. "AHHHHH!" There went the ear splitting screams, a harsh thud of heavy weight on the floor, ensued by the frightened yowls. Frozen in his spot, Chanyeol swore he heard the not so subtle crack of a bone or two. Looks like a Deadpool prank gone wrong. "Oh fuck no!" Chanyeol groaned as he immediately kneeled down; a ripping sound echoed but he could care less about his pants. "You okay there, Byun?"

 

 

"Who the fuck are you?" The figure on the floor hissed in pain. "Look, I'm so sorry. You know, that looks like a bad fracture." Chanyeol cut the other off, "Come on, let's bring you to the hospital." The neighbour seemd like he wanted to punch the banker in his balls but made no noise when the latter lifted him up into his arms. The pup barked at the stranger but the door was shut in its face before it could chew the costume.

 

 

The rest was a blur.

 

 

"Close fracture, an arm sling would do but no heavy weight for a week." The doctor advised with a frown. With eyeliner smudged and hair tousled, Baekhyun looked disastrous in every way. Thankfully, his fangs were taken off on the way, left in Chanyeol's car. Scanning Chanyeol from head to toes, the orthopedic addressed the man in Deadpool costume. "And who might you be, Mr—" "Mr. Park and I'm his neighbour." The brunette had a cast on his right arm, encased by a shoulder immobilizer. Chanyeol would've been more sympathetic but with the way Byun was eyeing the split in his pants with a smirk, he dismissed the thought.

 

 

"Revenge, huh?" Baekhyun huffed as he made himself comfortable in Chanyeol's Mercedes. "Well, does it make you happy now that my arm is fractured?" Chanyeol winced in guilt. "Thanks to you, I can't finish the draft anymore." The brunette sulked as he fiddled with his cast. "Mind you but I need to hand in to my editor by end of this week." The smaller lamented with a sigh and Chanyeol considered whether or not he should kick Baekhyun out of the car. "Sorry," Chanyeol blurted, "But it's your fault you scared my son and his friends. For two days straight!"

 

 

"Excuse me, they were the ones who tried to take my treats!" Baekhyun rebutted, face pained in indignation. "Then why the fuck do you put your treats outside?" Chanyeol clenched his teeth in annoyance. "For fun, duh!" The brunette gave him the stink eye. "Where's the fun if there's no Halloween scare?" The single dad almost snapped but he swallowed his words. "Well, anyway, what's done is done. Just don't scare the kids again." Baekhyun didn't give him an answer, opting to shut up.

 

 

"I paid the bills and everything so we're even." Chanyeol dropped the shorter off at his door. The giant was about to walk off when a hand tugged at his sleeves. "Not so fast, Park. With this misery you put me in, you need to pay a higher price than that." Baekhyun challenged him. "77k words. I need it typed by next Thursday." The taller shot him a 'what the actual fuck' look but the writer wasn't having it. "I say, you write. Simple as that." Baekhyun suggested, "Tomorrow is weekend so we can get started around eight thirty?" With that, the brunette shut the door in the banker's face.

 

 

Chanyeol gritted his teeth. "Fine! But you ought to apologise to Sehun tomorrow!" He yelled through the door.

 

 

 

 

_Who the fuck wake up that early on a Saturday anyway?_

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

"Good morning!" True to his words, Byun arrived with his notebook at eight thirty sharp. Chanyeol, eye still lidded with sleep, barely had time to react when the brunette barged in. "Put on a shirt, you moron." A cushion was thrown to his bare chest, making Chanyeol grimace. Little did the banker notice the faint blush on the smaller's face. "Do you have coffee? Americano perhaps?" Before Chanyeol could open his mouth, the neighbour had made his way to the kitchen.

 

 

_What a good morning it is._

 

 

They settled in the living room. Baekhyun on the loveseat, nestling a cup of instant brew, and Chanyeol on the arm chair, balancing the Macbook on his lap. "You know I'm only free on weekend and after nine on weekdays, right?" The giant saw the other peering over the rim of his mug, eyes narrowed and nose scrunched up. "Whatever, I can always come over after dinner." Exasperated, Chanyeol groaned in his head. _Jesus Christ, he just doesn't get the message, does he?_

 

 

Byun Baekhyun, as Chanyeol found out, was the novelist Jongdae had been rambling on and on about. That was probably why Chanyeol often questioned his friend's taste in books. Turned out the man had been writing chick lits since he was a college dropout. "Ah, you were the one who wrote Chasing Fire!" Chanyeol realised. "The one and only Biha Light," Baekhyun smirked as he sipped on thoughtfully. "My colleague is a closet fan of yours," The banker spilled, making Baekhyun scoff lightly. "Please, I'm not that keen on cliché romance."

 

 

"Why do you need a love triangle?" Chanyeol frowned, "Junsung should just break it off with her. Ugh, why is your plot so dramatic!" Baekhyun glared at the taller from the corner of his eyes. "Shut up, Park! This is my story. Not yours to judge."

 

 

An hour and three rounds of coffee later, Chanyeol swore his fingers were about to fall off. The muscles in his arms and neck ached like a bitch. "Okay, your 10k is done. I'm hungr—" Slumped against the sofa, the brunette was asleep, mouth open and snoring lightly. "Bitch," Chanyeol rolled his eyes and got up to stretch. Typing was hell and the father had yet to prepare a breakfast for his son.

 

 

"Papa?" Just as he was about to wake his cub up, Sehun waddled in with his bloster on tow. "Who's that?" The six-year-old tip toed over to the sleeping male. Chanyeol watched in shock as the boy climbed up the seat and snuggled right beside the novelist. The junior's voice was thick with sleep when he said, "I like him. He smells like Mama." The single dad gestured for his son to get down but the little lad drifted fast back to sleep, burrowing his nose further into the crook of Baekhyun's neck. _Oh, boy. If he only knew Byun was the scary vampire down the hall._

 

 

Rooted to his spot, Chanyeol gawked at his son in disbelief. Sehun had never been a talker, much less a social butterfly. It was unbelievable how the kid took an instant liking to Byun, a complete stranger at that; almost like wishing Merlin would come back from death. Left alone, Chanyeol decided to whip up some lunch.

 

 

It was forty past eleven when the brunette woke up. "Shh," The father put his index against his lips. "Sehun is a light sleeper." Baekhyun stared down at the child who was buried into his sweater; he flashed Chanyeol a middle finger up his nose. "Fuck you, Park. My arm hurts like a bitch thanks to your son!" He hissed, but careful not to wake Sehun up.

 

 

"Payback is the real bitch, Byun," The ravenette mouthed, "Remember, you owe Sehun an apology."

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

"Look kid, I, uh, am—" The brunette side-eyed Chanyeol who gave him a 'get the fuck on with it' look. "Sorry about scaring you and your little friends." Baekhyun begrudgingly apologised.

 

 

The boy looked up from his lap, lips puckered and deep in thought. Sehun had practically latched onto the novelist ever since he woke up. "You're not a vampire," The six-year-old insisted, "Vampires have fangs." With that, the fella cupped Baekhyun's face. His tiny fingers squished the writer's cheeks before proceeding to pull his mouth apart to check his rows of seeemingly human teeth. "See, you don't have one!"

 

 

"Whatever, kid. Anyway, apology's done." Baekhyun gently shooed the boy out of his lap, getting up to retrieve his notebook to leave. "Stay for lunch, bet you can't even make a grilled cheese with that." Chanyeol cleared his throat and eyed the sling on Baekhyun.

 

 

Sehun was right. Baekhyun looked nothing like a vampire. Chanyeol unconsciously traced the features of the smaller's face—a pair of hazelnut eyes, button nose and rosy thin lips. The guy looked pretty harmless, innocent even. Like a cute little pupp— Wait, did he just call Baekhyun cute?

 

 

The rest of the week went quite eventfully. Sehun was always there to receive Baekhyun at the door around seven. His son would help the brunette reheat their dinner. As much as Baekhyun hated cuddling, especially with little kids, he couldn't deny Sehun of his personal heater. What's even more amusing was how Sehun seemed fixated on thinking Baekhyun wasn't the nasty vampire down the hall, and that the monster actually wasn't Mongryong.

 

 

Whenever Chanyeol got back, the two would be on the couch, engaged in some television reruns. Sehun's head would be resting on Baekhyun's tummy and the duo would have their legs tangled together. It seemed pretty domestic. The single dad could tell his little man was growing on Baekhyun and so was the other. Somehow, he found himself liking the short-tempered male little by little. Well as long as Sehun was happy, so was he.

 

 

"What's with you chick lit writers and happy endings?" Chanyeol stressed, "They need a realistic ending. Not some unicorns and rainbows!" Snorting, Baekhyun stuck his tongue out the banker. "Seriously, Park? Last twenty words and you're still hung up over the plot? Get on with it." Sehun was cradled in the writer's arms, nose nuzzled into Baekhyun's milky column of neck. "Hurry up," The writer barked, "You need to put this little guy over here to sleep."

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

"What do you mean you can't babysit Hunnie?" Chanyeol whined through the phone. To him, honestly, Jongdae was being an asshole. "Sorry mate, my mother is coming over and you know how Madam Kim is." His friend slash colleague reasoned, "If she sees Sehun, she's gonna nag at me to get married, again. You know how I hate those horrible blindates, right?" Torn between laughing and crying, Chanyeol had no choice but to let Jongdae off the hook.

 

 

_Jesus, why do they have to send him for that overseas trip again?_

 

He wouldn't mind troubling his neighbours but they weren't in either. Kyungsoo and Jongin went back to the former's hometown. Minseok was on tour. As for Joonmyun, Yixing had brought him back to China to meet his parents. The eleventh floor was practically empty except for...Baekhyun.

 

 

_Guess he really don't have a choice, eh?_

 

 

Wednesday found Chanyeol in front of Byun's door. A sharp bark welcomed him before Baekhyun came out looking like a wild bird nest in his Pjs. "Morning. How's you arm?" Chanyeol noticed the cast had been taken off for a few weeks now. "It's too early to be knocking on someone's door, Park. My arm is fine, thanks for you lovely concern." Baekhyun greeted with his usual sass, Mongryong right up at his heels.

 

 

"So let me get this straight. You want me to go over to your place on tomorrow," Baekhyun paused for a dramatic effect, "And look after that brat till Friday!" Chanyeol could tell the other was quite miffed. "Sorry but I've no choice! Trust me, I'll be back on Friday night. Eight pm sharp." The giant didn't feel like begging but desperate times called for drastic measures. "Please? I would take you out on a dinner and a movie?" Chanyeol clasped his hands together.

 

 

"Did you just ask me out on a date?"

 

 

"Yes...no, maybe?"

 

 

"Really, Park?"

 

 

"Well, anything for my kid."

 

 

"It's a deal then. You can't back out."

 

 

"Aye, aye, captain!"

 

 

 

 

 

Sehun was over the moon when Chanyeol broke the news. "Ha! So you would choose Byun over me?" The father feigned hurt. "No, Papa. I just like Uncle Baek." The six-year-old shuffled his feet shyly; the tips of his ears stained red. "He reminds me of...Mama," The boy trailed off, his frame small in Chanyeol's embrace. "Me too, lad. I miss Mama too."

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

"Say, why do you like me so much?" Baekhyun teased out of curiosity. The two were sprawled on the sofa like starfishes, sipping on Chanyeol's diet coke. The apartment felt empty without the businessman. Sehun anchored himself on top of the writer, his breath tickling Baekhyun's nape. "You smell like Mama." The boy's voice was muffled by the brunette's sweater. "Like strawberries."

 

 

"And where is your Mama?" Baekhyun couldn't help but ask. He could've gotten the answer out of Chanyeol but the topic would've made the other dodgy. "There," Sehun pointed out towards the glass windows, where the night sky was lit by the skyscrapers. "Up in the sky. Papa always tells me." Baekhyun felt his heart drop. He willed himself to stare into the expanse of the starless sky, knowing Sehun was doing the same.

 

 

"Do you miss her?" The grown-up asked softly. Sehun didn't answer this time. Baekhyun felt the small arms around his neck grew tighter. There was a tiny nod against the side of his cheeks. "Don't worry, lad. I'm sure your Mama is watching you from up there." He cooed, "Look, how about I go and bring Mongryong over? Then, we can catch Cars 3 together. Does that sound good?"

 

 

They went grocery shopping on Friday. Chanyeol was coming home in four hours and Baekhyun thought he should whip up some dinner for the man. He picked up Sehun from his dance classes. The novelist was relieved to see the boy out of his shell. He felt guilty for touching on such a sensitive topic. It might have been a trauma for the child.

 

 

"Should we get some chocolate pudding for dessert?" Baekhyun turned to Sehun who was seated in the shopping cart, busy scanning the shelves of cereal. "I want KoKoBop and choco pudding too please!" The novelist hummed in reply and let the six-year-old drop the colourful box into the trolley. "Well, let's go then!"

 

 

"Sehunnie?" Right then, a man dressed in a Mickey Mouse sweater approached them from the aisle. "Uncle Dae!" The boy squealed as he tugged at Baekhyun's shirt and asked him to push him over to the stranger. "Hey, Hunnie! Is your dad back in town?" Baekhyun watched as the man leaned over to ruffle Sehun's hair. "Kim Jongdae here. This might be—"

 

 

"Byun Baekhyun," The novelist shook the offered hand. So this was his book fanatic. "Nice to meet you," Jongdae beamed, "You must be Chanyeol's neighbour." Baekhyun gave him a small nod, "And you must be Chanyeol's colleague." The writer was going to part way but Jongdae stopped him, asking him out for coffee. "Hey, chill. I'm not hitting on you. It's just a platonic date."

 

 

Baekhyun played with his fingers under the table. His gaze ran over to Sehun at the cafe's play corner. The boy sat alone, quietly connecting the lego pieces in front of him. There was a bunch of kids around him but Sehun made no move. "He isn't much of a talker, is he?" Jongdae's voice broke his trance. "Thankfully, Sehun did make friends with the kids around the block. Seulgi and Jimin, if I remember."

 

 

"It must be hard for him and Chanyeol," Baekhyun expressed, "Such a shame his wife died so early." There was a lack of reply from the other. Baekhyun looked up to see Jongdae eyeing him weirdly. "What?" The writer raised an eyebrow. "You thought Chanyeol was married?" Kim broke into a chuckle, "Good, lord. Our man, Chanyeol, has always been single as a pringle."

 

 

"Are you pulling my leg, Mr. Kim?"

 

 

"Why would I? Sehun was never his to begin with."

 

 

"What!"

 

 

"Park Sehun. That boy is his sister's son. Deceased unfortunately."

 

 

There was a wistful smile playing at Jongdae's lips. "Died in a plane crash two years ago. Sehun was barely four then." Baekhyun felt his head spin. "Looks like you need the full story then." The other man sighed, "Chanyeol might kill me for this but anyways, Sehun is Park Yoora's son."

 

 

"You see, Yoora Noona and Chanyeol aren't your average siblings." Jongdae began, "Park Holdings. Does that ring a bell for you?" The Parks, Baekhyun remembered, were one of the power houses in Korea. Typical rich folks. "Technically, they were both heirs to the empire. Unfortunately for Yoora who was sent to study abroad, she fell in love with her one of her professors." Jongdae continued, "But you know all that drama and jazz, Chanyeol's parents were against her in dating a commoner. But she was already carrying that time. When her folks found out, Yoora was disowned. And that wasn't even half of the story yet."

 

 

"Chanyeol was livid at his parents. He decided to get his sister back," Jongdae shook his head at what was going to come next. "Let's just say he rebelled and came out of the closet. Things didn't end well and he too was disowned." Baekhyun didn't even realise that his drink was finished. "The two siblings barely made ends meet. Sehun was born around April. It took them four years to get back on track." Jongdae explained, "When Sehun was four, Chanyeol convinced his sister to go find Sehun's dad."

 

 

_"Just tell him he had a son and if he didn't want it, just come back. Simple as that. Besides, Sehun got me and you. That's all that matters."_

 

 

"The flight to London never made it there. It crashed. Yoora died. So did Chanyeol, emotionally." Baekhyun pursed his lips, feeling the grief settle in. "If it was not for Sehun, he would've been a broken man. Sehun was the reason why he lived on. Sehun is the only family he got."

 

 

 

 

_Sehun is the only family he got._

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Dinner was an oddly quiet affair. Sehun was knocked out right after, hugging his new Iron Man figurine to bed. Chanyeol thanked him for the meal with a grateful smile. Baekhyun didn't know why there were butterflies in his stomach. "Trust you to really get me those New Yorker shirts," The novelist smiled to himself secretly, "thanks anyway."

 

 

With chin resting on his elbows, Baekhyun looked over to the taller man sitting across him. There were dark eye bags under his eyes, his hair falling over his forehead, but his lips were full and plump. Fatigue was etched on Chanyeol's face but the writer thought he looked beautiful like that. The smaller held in the urge to reach over and sweep away the strands covering those almond shaped orbs of the other.

 

 

"You make a good dad," The words left his mouth unconsciously. Chanyeol's eyes flitted to his ones. "Thanks," Baekhyun could see the other was caught off guard, pink dusting his cheeks. "I mean it," The writer emphasised, "Sehun's lucky to have you."

 

 

"Are you okay?" The banker inched over to press his palm against the brunette's temple. "Did you eat some weird medicine?" Leaning into the touch, Baekhyun shook his head and laughed. "I'm fine, Park. Just a little tired." There was the scraping of chair against the tiles. Chanyeol got up from his seat and walked over. His face was that of earnest concern. "Come on, let's get you and Mongryong home."

 

 

Baekhyun didn't say anything. He let Chanyeol help him up. Somehow, his heart ached. The writer didn't know why he was affected by Jongdae's words. He was nothing but a stranger. He wasn't born to touch others' lives, lest meddle with them.

 

 

Yet he found himself unable to step out. Before Baekhyun knew, Mongryong's leash was dropped onto the floor and his feet were making a run for the tall neighbour a few metres away from him. His arms wound themselves around the banker's neck, tip toeing to meet the other's shoulders. "Jongdae told me everything," The writer spilled, "I just want you to know you're doing great."

 

 

He felt Chanyeol's breath hitch. The novelist half expected the other to push away but slowly, arms fallen at the sides found their way to his waist. In that split second, everything seemed like they were falling into place. Everything felt right; strong arms encasing his smaller frame, tears shedding on his shoulders and a heart beating against his own.

 

 

Sometimes, silence spoke louder than words.

 

 

 

 

_"Papa!" Chanyeol felt a smile ghosting over his cheeks. Eyes blinking open, he saw the little boy running around. There was the red scarf, hung around Sehun's neck, fluttering in the autumn breeze. With a loud squeal, there were arms around the six-year-old, reining the small child in. Chanyeol never thought he would see Sehun smile so wide and bright again._

_"Chanyeolie," His eyes flew to the person holding Sehun. There went those familiar pair of brown eyes and braided locks falling around her shoulders. "Thank you," Yoora beamed proudly at him, "for taking care of Sehun." The woman leaned down to kiss her little boy on his pudgy cheeks. Sehun squealed in delight as he hid inside his mother's embrace. "Now, I hope you can find your own happiness too."_

_I hope you can find your own happiness too._

 

* * *

 

 

"What's up with the candlelight and all, Park?" Baekhyun raised his brows as Chanyeol pulled out his chair for him. The house was awfully quiet without the six-year-old. _I sent him over to Jongdae's._ The novelist glanced across the table. The taller had his hair all gelled up, a pressed button down tucked neatly into his slim charcoal slacks and a bottle of Bordeaux in his hand. "Dinner. I owe you, remember?"

 

 

Baekhyun couldn't hold in his amusement. "By dinner, I was expecting an exquisite dining experience at some Italian restaurant." Chanyeol could see the mirth in the writer's gleaming orbs as they drew up into tiny crescents. "Well, I've got a license as a chef so just you wait, Byun. I'm gonna blow you away!" He pulled the cork open, sporting a grin on his face. "Wait until you taste my ravioli di salmone."

 

"Are you sure you aren't trying to get me drunk?" Baekhyun hiccuped, feeling the aftertaste of wine kicking in. The writer's cheeks were the shade of pomegranate, lips moist from the continuous sips he took. "Me?" Chanyeol's deep chuckle resounded by his ears, "Maybe?" John Wick was playing on screen but the two just couldn't seem to concentrate. 

 

The sofa dipped as Chanyeol settled next to him, their thighs pressed up against each other. Baekhyun glanced up from his wineglass and meet the banker's eyes. The usual obsidian orbs were a deeper pool of molasses under the dim ceiling lights. Drawn in, Baekhyun inched closer till his breath was ghosting over the taller's ears. "Kiss me," he breathed, "would you?"

 

He saw the shift in Chanyeol's eyes as they trailed over to his wine stained lips. Nobody knew who gave in first but Baekhyun knew he wasn't planning to let the taller go any sooner. Their lips met halfway, molding quickly to each other's. Chanyeol could taste the Bordeaux on the smaller's tongue when he dived in further into the warm cavern. "Mmm," the banker hummed along the novelist's stretch of milky collarbone before he sucked in a sweet spot, eliciting a soft moan from the other. 

 

"Bedroom," Baekhyun panted between the breathtaking dose of kisses, "Now." Manoeuvring their way through, Chanyeol hiked Baekhyun up till the latter's legs were hooked around his waist. Murmurs of 'you've too much clothes on, fucking take them off' were exchanged as the two fell onto bed. 

 

Naked and writhing under him, Chanyeol didn't know the Byun Baekhyun would end up in his arms that night. Sure, he had sent away Sehun because he knew he couldn't keep his hands to himself. Baekhyun definitely got him bad. Those lips, hips and thighs—they drove him crazy.  

 

"You sure you won't regret this?" The ravenette confirmed. "Seriously, Park?" Baekhyun was beautifully wrecked beneath him, "After you 'broke' my arms, criticised my stories and got me drunk, you are acting nice?" The writer scoffed, "Get the hell on and fuck me. I mean it." Chanyeol's eyes widened at the blunt confession. "I like you, I love you, whatever you big oaf! " Impatient, the smaller flipped them over until he was straddling the other. "I won't regret so just fuck me." 

 

 

"Okay," Chanyeol replied as he kissed Baekhyun right there and then. 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

_Two years later_

 

"Ajusshi, I love you!" Chanyeol heard footsteps matching up with his own strides. "How's that, do I sound like Ji Eun Tak?" An arm looped around his. From the corner of his eyes, the ring on the brunette's slender finger glimmered under the sunlight. Chanyeol gazed down at the smaller. The pine green hoodie looked ridiculously huge around his tiny face. Chuckling, the taller reached his hands out to draw the strings of the hood together. The opening shrunk until all he saw was a pair of pouty lips peeking out.

 

"Yah! I can't see shit, let me out!"  The writer pulled out his hands from the kangaroo pockets and flailed about. "Come on, you mean—" A head dipped down to his height right there and then. A pair of pillowy lips covered his own and a familiar hand curled around his petite waist. Chanyeol retracted the strings and slowly, his palms cupped the soft cheeks of the brunette. Baekhyun reciprocated the gesture and circled his hands around the taller's nape.

 

The novelist pulled the ravenette closer down to him until they were pressed close against each other. Their lips danced heatedly, in contrast to the frigid wind surrounding them. The snowdrops whirled in the gust around them, falling onto the ground like graceful dancers. Between them, Chanyeol felt the feather-like caress of  _her_ red scarf worn around the shorter's neck. The scent of strawberries masked the frosty snow and melted into the warmth of their bodies. Her scarf. It fluttered, just like their hearts. 

 

"Appa! Papa!" Their little bubble burst when a small figure collided into Baekhyun's legs. Embarrassed, the novelist pushed Chanyeol away. The smaller bent down and scooped the growing boy into his arms. Giggling, Sehun melted in his father's arms and delved his red little nose into the soft touch of the woollen scarf. "It's not fair!" The eight-year-old smooched Baekhyun's flushed cheeks, "Let Hunnie kiss you too!"

 

There went the childish demeanour because a few minutes later, Sehun was whining for Baekhyun to let him down. "No way," The writer joked, "Let Appa hold you before you grow any taller than this!" Trailing behind, Chanyeol's heart grew as he watched the father and son. Baekhyun might not be Yoora but Sehun found a home in him and that was all he needed. Someone to share his love with Sehun and him. His eyes teared as Sehun scooted over and linked his small hands with the other's. The boy beamed endearingly at the writer, like how he would've done to his mother.

 

In that moment, Chanyeol felt his life complete. Perhaps, Baekhyun was that missing piece which he thought would never fit. But now, Chanyeol realised it didn't matter at all, for he knew the three of them would make everything fall into place. Just like now.

 

 

 _Take a picture_ , Chan, she always used to say, _it lasts longer_.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And so he did.


End file.
